NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Ministry of Healthcare is continuing its tireless work to prevent and respond to the pandemic outbreak, said Minister of Healthcare Alexey Tsoy at the July 9 online meeting with United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator for Kazakhstan Norimasa Shimomura and World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office Representative in Kazakhstan Caroline Clarinval, according to the ministry’s press service.
On May 25, a shipment of personal protective equipment (PPE) arrived in Nur-Sultan and Almaty. The delivery of the PPE was organized by the World Health Organization as part of the support provided to countries in their effort to fight the COVID-19 outbreak. It included masks, gloves, gowns for healthcare workers. Photo credit: WHO Country Office in Kazakhstan.
The ministry has launched strategies to increase public awareness, developed instructions for all levels of medical care, provided training of health professionals on the principles of prevention and treatment of infectious disease and the formation of a personnel reserve for healthcare services.
“We are expanding the computed tomography and digital X-ray tests to expedite the availability of diagnostics in Kazakhstan. At the same time, the volume for laboratory testing is also increasing,” said Tsoy.
The supply of artificial lung ventilation devices will be continued in hospitals. Hospital bed numbers will also be expanded and remote consultations at the outpatient level have been introduced.
The ministry is also working to accelerate the procurement and supply of medicines.
Kazakh Minister of Healthcare proposed that WHO experts visit Kazakhstan and provide practical assistance to medical professionals in the regions.
UN Resident Coordinator for Kazakhstan Shimomura noted that COVID-19 is a global health crisis that impacts Kazakhstan on an unprecedented scale. The UN in Kazakhstan is doing its best to fight against this pandemic in solidarity with the people and the Kazakh government under the technical leadership of WHO.
“At the same time, COVID-19 is more than a health crisis as it deeply affects our economics and societies. The UN in Kazakhstan is putting together its plan of support for the country’s effort to mitigate the social and economic impact of COVID-19 particularly on the vulnerable population, including rural women, children, pensioners, people living with HIV, and others,” said Shimomura.
The Kazakh Ministry of Healthcare plays an important role in improving the public health and in protecting people from health emergencies, said WHO Country Office Representative in Kazakhstan Clarinval at the meeting.
She pledged the WHO’s support, as the organization has already mobilized the necessary technical and financial resources for this purpose, including additional personal protective equipment (PPEs) that are arriving in the country shortly and the ongoing training program that has already been provided to more than 1,600 health professionals.
Clarinval offered advice to find solutions that are relevant for Kazakhstan, among others, on infection control prevention, case identification and contact tracing, and scaling up a comprehensive laboratory network.
Virtual meetings with status updates on the ongoing work of the effort on an ongoing basis will be implemented as well.
